
By Graham Bound - The discovery of a large field of natural gas beneath the seabed south of the Falklands received appropriate coverage in the UK press. Rockhopper Exploration’s agreement with Premier Oil, which is likely to involve an investment by the latter of up to £750m, has also been noticed.

Bank of Spain figures show that net capital outflows—including bank withdrawals and sell-offs of Spanish stocks and bonds—equaled more than 50% of the country’s economic output over the year ended July 31.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim announced the appointment of Indian national Kaushik Basu as the institution’s new Chief Economist and Senior Vice President.

Spain’s Foreign Minister issued a clear threat to Gibraltar in the latest salvo of words in the fishing dispute. Jose Manuel García-Margallo said Gibraltar’s stance in the row would lead to repercussions in other areas affecting the Rock.

Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the European Central Bank on Friday after its plan to buy the debt of troubled Euro zone states stirred outrage in Germany and threats from some in her own party to try and block the scheme.

Europe's trade chief threatened to take Russia to the World Trade Organization over a string of restrictive practices, saying Moscow needed to play by the rules now it was a member of the global body.

Britain's Prince Harry has returned to Afghanistan to fly attack helicopters on the frontline just two weeks after he was photographed frolicking naked in Las Vegas. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said he would serve a four-month tour, based out of Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, one of the most volatile regions in the country.

Global food prices remained steady in August, the United Nations food agency said Thursday, but warned that the game is not over as it was only the beginning of the harvest season.

Managing Director Christine Lagarde of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) showed strong support of the European Central Bank's new framework for intervention in the Euro zone debt crisis, deeming Thursday’s action 'an important step toward strengthening stability and growth.'

Asian shares looked set for their biggest daily gain in nearly five weeks on Friday after the European Central Bank outlined its bond-buying scheme to help calm the Euro zone's debt crisis, while firm US data fed speculation of a strong jobs report later in the day.